I have a 10 gallon planted aquarium with one betta fish in it, and I was hoping to get one or two nerite snails soon. This will be my first time having any type of snail other than Pest snails that came into my tank through the plants, so I’m wondering if anyone here has cared for nerites before and has any tips? I already did quite a bit of research on them, so I know the basics of how to care for them, but any information would be helpful to know before I get them. Three things in particular that I was wondering about, is what would I need to buy for them before I go out and get them? I already Know that I will probably need to buy some algae wafers, but it there anything else that I will need? (such as a good cave for them to hide in) and also, what cave would you recommend? I have had my new tank for over a month now, and I can’t ever seem to find a good cave or hide anywhere! My betta used to really like his old cave, but it wasn’t the safest, so I would like to get him a new hide. And then my second question, is how do I pick a healthy nerite from the store? Is there anything to look out for? My last question Is that I have heard that they can very easily escape aquariums, so you have to make sure you have a good lid. I do have a good lid for my aquarium, but there is a gap in the corner of the lid for the filter tube and the wire for the heater…I will put a picture of the lid below, do you think the nerite would be able to escape from this small of a gap? Also is there any abnormal behaviour to look out for when I introduce them to the tank? Any other Tips would also be helpful! Thanks.
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New betta owner
Getting new nerite snails! Any tips?
I have a 10 gallon planted aquarium with one betta fish in it, and I was hoping to get one or two nerite snails soon. This will be my first time having any type of snail other than Pest snails that came into my tank through the plants, so I’m wondering if anyone here has cared for nerites before and has any tips? I already did quite a bit of research on them, so I know the basics of how to care for them, but any information would be helpful to know before I get them. Three things in particular that I was wondering about, is what would I need to buy for them before I go out and get them? I already Know that I will probably need to buy some algae wafers, but it there anything else that I will need? (such as a good cave for them to hide in) and also, what cave would you recommend? I have had my new tank for over a month now, and I can’t ever seem to find a good cave or hide anywhere! My betta used to really like his old cave, but it wasn’t the safest, so I would like to get him a new hide. And then my second question, is how do I pick a healthy nerite from the store? Is there anything to look out for? My last question Is that I have heard that they can very easily escape aquariums, so you have to make sure you have a good lid. I do have a good lid for my aquarium, but there is a gap in the corner of the lid for the filter tube and the wire for the heater…I will put a picture of the lid below, do you think the nerite would be able to escape from this small of a gap? Also is there any abnormal behaviour to look out for when I introduce them to the tank? Any other Tips would also be helpful! Thanks.
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Hi, this applies to mystery snails so I'm assuming it does for nerites, that you want to be sure they land upright when you put them in. Otherwise I don't have much info but @Rose of sharon provided me with this;
Honestly, I've never quarantined snails before. They really don't have the diseases or parasites that wild caught snails might have. I acclimate, and then slowly change the water over to tank water (if they are in a bag), and then finally put them in the tank. Maybe I have been lucky, but I've never had an issue.
I've only had nerites, though. Depending on how you bring them home, if it is in a bag, just float it in the tank for 15 or 20 minutes. Then take a bit of old water out, and add some treated tank water to the bag, like maybe 20% out and new in (you can do this while the bag is floating in the tank if you are very careful not to let any of the old water spill into the tank). Then, after about 10 minutes, take out another 20%, and add new 20% in, until the entire bag of water had been changed out. Then, either pour the water out, but use a net to catch the snails in, or dump the majority of the water out, and turn the bag upside down in the tank and let them fall out. If you get rid of most of the water, then the only water left in the bag will be actual treated tank water that you added.
I have talked to some people who don't acclimate at all, and just throw them into the tank...don't know about that!
I do know that there are some youtube videos about how to do it properly if you want to check those out.
And there's this from @RussellTheShihTzu
Nerites normally wouldn't eat the pellets, anyway. They are algae eaters. If you're worried about algae just put some rocks in a bowl in a sunny window. When algae forms add a rock or two to the tank. You can add a small piece of cuttlebone if you want Calcium.
Honestly, I've never quarantined snails before. They really don't have the diseases or parasites that wild caught snails might have. I acclimate, and then slowly change the water over to tank water (if they are in a bag), and then finally put them in the tank. Maybe I have been lucky, but I've never had an issue.
I've only had nerites, though. Depending on how you bring them home, if it is in a bag, just float it in the tank for 15 or 20 minutes. Then take a bit of old water out, and add some treated tank water to the bag, like maybe 20% out and new in (you can do this while the bag is floating in the tank if you are very careful not to let any of the old water spill into the tank). Then, after about 10 minutes, take out another 20%, and add new 20% in, until the entire bag of water had been changed out. Then, either pour the water out, but use a net to catch the snails in, or dump the majority of the water out, and turn the bag upside down in the tank and let them fall out. If you get rid of most of the water, then the only water left in the bag will be actual treated tank water that you added.
I have talked to some people who don't acclimate at all, and just throw them into the tank...don't know about that!
I do know that there are some youtube videos about how to do it properly if you want to check those out.
And there's this from @RussellTheShihTzu
Nerites normally wouldn't eat the pellets, anyway. They are algae eaters. If you're worried about algae just put some rocks in a bowl in a sunny window. When algae forms add a rock or two to the tank. You can add a small piece of cuttlebone if you want Calcium.
Nerites are such fun snails! They can be so pretty too.
I would recommend just one if its a 10 gal that already has a betta. Two would be an ammonia overload. Snails are little poop machines that dont stop till there gone. They can have gone a week without food and still be producing a ton of crap. So yea would definitely recommend just one.
As for picking out a healthy nerite snail, i would definitely look for the most vibrant shell color. The brighter the color typically means the heathier the snail, at least in my experience. Most of the snails ive ever seen in a pet store have rather jagged mantles. broken and chipped from shipping. When i bought my mystery snail his mantal was chipped very badly. Here we are a month later and its all healed! Pick one with the least chipped mantle if possible, and after a bit of time and cuttlebone it should heal right on up!
Make sure the shell is healthy too, no cracks or growths. And keep an eye out for missing eye-stalks and such. Even growths and rot on the face of the snail. Another thing is, while this is uncommon in snails from the pet store - though i have seen it- is parasites, if they are visible. I have seen Chaetogastor worms and another parasite i forgot the name of in pet store snails before. I've even had Chaetogastor worms in my own snails before, thought they are pretty easy to kill.
I personally have never had a problem with open tanks and snails escaping. I have a lid with an open feeding hole and a huge filter gap and my mystery snail has never make any escape attempts. You should be fine.
Anyways hope this helps
I would recommend just one if its a 10 gal that already has a betta. Two would be an ammonia overload. Snails are little poop machines that dont stop till there gone. They can have gone a week without food and still be producing a ton of crap. So yea would definitely recommend just one.
As for picking out a healthy nerite snail, i would definitely look for the most vibrant shell color. The brighter the color typically means the heathier the snail, at least in my experience. Most of the snails ive ever seen in a pet store have rather jagged mantles. broken and chipped from shipping. When i bought my mystery snail his mantal was chipped very badly. Here we are a month later and its all healed! Pick one with the least chipped mantle if possible, and after a bit of time and cuttlebone it should heal right on up!
Make sure the shell is healthy too, no cracks or growths. And keep an eye out for missing eye-stalks and such. Even growths and rot on the face of the snail. Another thing is, while this is uncommon in snails from the pet store - though i have seen it- is parasites, if they are visible. I have seen Chaetogastor worms and another parasite i forgot the name of in pet store snails before. I've even had Chaetogastor worms in my own snails before, thought they are pretty easy to kill.
I personally have never had a problem with open tanks and snails escaping. I have a lid with an open feeding hole and a huge filter gap and my mystery snail has never make any escape attempts. You should be fine.
Anyways hope this helps
Thanks for the replies! To be honest, before I even read this post, I already went to my local fish store, and I bought two nerites… i will take extra precautions to make sure I keep the water parameters safe, I will change out more water every week (instead of 15% I will change about 25%) and I will test my water more frequently to make sure that everything is going well And that there are no sudden changes. The snails both seem very healthy so far, but they do have a few small chips on the shell.
since I have some hydra in my aquarium, i asked one of the employees at the fish store and they suggested I used NO planaria, because it also killed hydra and would not harm fish. when I got home (with the snails) I read that no planaria is highly toxic to almost all types of snails, so clearly that isn’t an option for me.
Also another question, where did you find cuttlebone? I’ve looked at a lot of stores and I can’t find any at all. Thanks again!
since I have some hydra in my aquarium, i asked one of the employees at the fish store and they suggested I used NO planaria, because it also killed hydra and would not harm fish. when I got home (with the snails) I read that no planaria is highly toxic to almost all types of snails, so clearly that isn’t an option for me.
Also another question, where did you find cuttlebone? I’ve looked at a lot of stores and I can’t find any at all. Thanks again!
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